Apparatus for handling coal



`-Fel. 20, 1940'. M. A. MATTHEWS v APPARATUS lFOR HANDLING COAL FiledJune 26, 193'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 mmomwn. .w zmmmum @z m i Il2,191,322l

`Feb. 20, 1940.`

M. A.' MATTHEWS APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COAL Filed June 26, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVE/v TOR MAX A. MATT H EWS,

BY @emr/L. m mw,

ATT'Y Feb. 20, 1940.V yM, A. MATTHEWS 2,191,322

APPARATUS Fon HANDLING con.v

Filed June 26, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3- ATT'Y /NVENTOR MAX A MATTHEWS,

BY mfr/PWA,

Feb. 20, 1940. M. A. MATTHEWS 2,191,322

' APPARATUS Fon HANDLING coAL Filed June 26, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 VE/vTOR A TT'Y MAX A. WIATVv-nwsl ...f1 .l nu? l? S? io o mm W ArPARATUs FonHANDLING coAL lMax A. Matthews, Columbus, Ohio, as'rsignor to TheJeffrey Manufacturing Company, a.Y Vcorporation of Ohio Application.rune ze, 1937, smal No. 150,610 2 claims. (Cl. 20s-'7247) Thisinvention relates to apparatus for hancoal is delivered to the slackconveyor I4 by dling coal and-an 4object of the invention is to which itis delivered to a slack chute I5` for provide for the delivery ofdiierent size ranges delivery into a slack coal car. The next larger ofcoal to coal cars substantially free of undesize range .from the sizingscreen I3 is `deliv 5 sirable slack. l ered to they apron conveyor ornut picking table Another object -of .the invention is to'provide I6.,VThis size range 0f COal iS generally desigapparatiis for screening coalwith alminirnum nated as nut coal. The next larger size range .formationof slack after the coal has been-pickedy of coalis delivered by thesizing screen I3 to to remove refuse. f. g Y f the egg picking table orapron conveyor I`I. The

w "Still another objectA ofthe invention is to prolargest Size range ofc oal is delivered from the A vide a material handling apparatus inlwhich Sizing screen |3 t0 the lump picking table 01 material may beselectively delivered to a pair apronconveyor I8. i of conveyors one -ofVwhich is'preferably a mat It Will be undClStOOd that the picking tablesscreen conveyor. l I6, I7 and I8are so constructed that'plckers mayOther objects of the invention will appear watch the coal asl itprogresses over them and 15 hereinafter.,.the novel features andcombinations may manually 'remove'any particles of refusa i beingsetforth in the appended claims. such as shale or slate, and throw saidrefuse into f In the accompanying drawing@ adjacent chutes, seen at I9,and 2I adjacent Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a systhe DClilHgtables I6, Vl and .lfreSDCVelyl0 tem comprising my inventionV which maybe vThereare groups ofpairs'of chutes I9, 20 and 2I 20 :utilized tocarry out the method of my invenadjacent each side of the picking tablesl5, Il tion; land I8, respectively, thus providing for two pick- Flgs, 2and 3, placed `and to end. show in ele'- ers for each table, one on eachside thereof. vation an important portion of 'the apparatusY` Said`chutes I9, 20 and 2I all lead to a refuse 'f UNITED STATES APiss-relai*oFFicE s' comprising my invention;l l -scraper conveyor 22 which conveysthe received 25 Fig. 4 is a plan View 4with parts cut away showrefusel50 a refuse bln 23- f ing a combined feeder and Screencompsing myAssociated with the nut picking table I6 is a invention; nut loadingboom 24; the free end of which may Fig.- 5 is a side elevational view ofthe device be lowered and elevated to discharge the nut.,

of Fig. 4; coal into a car without appreciable. drop there- 30 Fig, 6 isa, sectional deva/cional View taken on of.. A small stationary screeningchute 25 is the line 6-6 of Fig. 4 looking in the directionl interposed'between the dSChrge v@mi 0f the of the arrows; Y nut picking table IGand the nut loading boom Fig, 7 is a, Sectional elevational View takenon 24. This chute effects .the transfer ofthe nut.'

u the line .1 1 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction o f Coal lrom theformer t0 the latter, and at the 35 the arrows; and' same time effectsthe screening thereof to re- Fig. '8 is an emarged v159,11 Showing theconmove any slack. 'This slack is discharged to the c struction of themal; of my combined feeder and upper runl 39 of a transversely extendingmixing Scl-en Y l conveyorr 25 which leads ultimately to a reduc- 0Referring first to' Fg 1 0f the drawings, there ing Crusher 2T. Thebottom of the screen chute 40 isseen a schematic showing-of a systemcom-25 S alSO OI'mGdS 2 gate Valve Which may be ,prising my invention whichis an illustrated Operated t0 discharge all 0f the material fromembodiment of one ,'fo'rm of apparatus which may the nut picking tableI6 Onto the mixing. conbe'employed to carryoutthe method'also com-,VCYOY 26- l I y .prising my invention.V `In'said Fig. 1 a-tipple isvAssociated with the egg picking table II is 45 designated generally bythe reference character 'an egg IOadiIlg bOm 28 between Which iS inter-ID and comprises` a building or housing of the POSed ,a T12-ScreeningCOIIVGYOI 29. The' Conusual type within which is fa' raw coal `storageSI'UCOH Oftlle ggg picking table l", egg 10m11-V hopper II within whichthe coal, which is to ing boom 28 and re-screening conveyor 29 are.,

vbetreatedand loaded, is lirst received. AfeederY illustratedl in Amorecomplete detail in Figs. 2 5o l2 ,is `provided toj feed the raw coaifromthe and 3 of the drawings andwill' be described in` hopper II vto avshaking or sizing screen and feedfull detail hereinafter. v v f er I3 bywhich the raw coal will be separated rAssociated with the lump pickingtable I8 is a into four size: rangesand deliveredalongyfourv lumploading boom 30 between which 'is inter- A u' different paths. As hereillustrated, the slack posedare-screening conveyor 3I. The construc- 55pulley 35 and tail pulley 36, the latter of which is driven from a motor31.

The picking table l1 receives a predetermined size range of coal fromthe sizing screen I3 which is discharged from the hinged boom 33 eitherto a chute 38 leading to the upper run 39 of mixing conveyor 26, asillustrated in full lines in Figs. 2 and 3, or directly to there-screening conveyor 29, the detailed structure of which is illustratedin Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 'l and hereinafter described in detail.-

Said re-screening conveyor 29 is eiective to screen the coal anddischarge the slack into the lower run 40 of the mixing conveyor 26 andto deliver the largerparticles of coal onto the loading boom 28. Saidloading boom 28 includes a` stationary portion 4| and a pivoted loadingportion 92 with a tail pulley 43 carried by the former and a head pulley44 carried by the latter. A continuous apron 45 extends between thepulleys 43 and 46. An electric motor 46 is provided to drive the apron45, which motor also drives the drive shalt 41 of the re-screeningconveyor 29.

It is evident that with the boom 33 in the full line positionillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, coal from the pickingtable |1 will be delivered to the upper run 39 of the mixing conveyor26. A similar condition may also be realized with the picking table .|8.It is also evident that all material delivered to the upper run 39 ofthe mixing conveyor 26 will be conveyed to the right, as viewed in Fig.1, leading to the Crusher 21. However, the trough associated with theupper run of said mixing conveyor 26 is provided with appropriate valvemeans above each of the re-screening conveyors 29 and 3| that associatedwith re-screening conveyor 29 being seen at |26 in Fig. 2 of thedrawings. As a con sequence, it is possible to discharge any materialfed to the upper run 39 of the mixing conveyor 26 to the left of eitherof the rez-screening conveyors 29 and 3| onto a selected one of saidrescreening conveyors 29 or 3|. For example, by opening the previouslymentioned valve associated with the screening chute 25, the entiredischarge of the nut picking table |6 may be delivered to the upper run39 of the mixing conveyor 26. Said mixing conveyor 26 will then conveythe material to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1. This material may thenbe discharged either to the re-screening conveyor 29 or the re-screeningconveyor 3|, or may be discharged to neither and conveyed .further anddischarged through a valve( 48 which leads to a domestic coal bin 49 byway of chute 59.

Still further, if desired, any material on the mixing conveyor may bedelivered to the crusher' 21 by which it is crushed and delivered to thelower run 46 of the mixing conveyor from which it may be discharged byan appropriate valve in to the slack chute I5 or may be discharged ontoa re-circulating crushed coal conveyor 5| by which it will be returnedto the input of the sizing screen i3.

It is thus evident that a very flexible system is provided in whichvarious mixtures of nut, egg, lump and slack may be fed over the booms28 and 30.

With the hinged boom 33 in the dotted line position illustrated in Figs.2 and 3, the picked egg coal will be delivered directly to.there-screening conveyor 29 which is effective to screen out the slackand deliver it to the lower run 40 of the mixing conveyor 26 whiledelivering the larger particles of coal to the loading boom 28. l

Ariimportant feature of my invention resides in the provision of there-screening conveyor 29 in that this conveyor forms the double functionof delivering material from the picking table |1 to the loading boom 28and at the same time Vremoves the slack therefrom by a substantiallyhorizontal movement of the material with a result that the re-screenedcoal is fed to the loading boom 28 with va minimum of shock and jar soas not to produce any further slack as an incident to this treatment. Ithas been found in practice thatV where inclined stationary or shakingscreens are employed to feed a loading boom such as the loading boom 28,the coal, in discharging from the end of the inclined screen or chute,strikes the apron of the loading boom with such a velocity that there isan appreciable formation of slack and kthus the work of the rescreeningdevice is substantially n'egatived. I have found by employing asubstantially horizontal type of re-screening conveyor no appreciableslack is formed thereby with the result that 'the coal, such as egg orlump, or a mixture of v63 (see Fig. 4), and an idler shaft 54 mountedupon chain adjustingY devices 55 and provided with idler sprockets 56,.It will be understood that thereare two ofthe chain adjusting devices55, one at each end of the shaft 54. Y

Extending between the shafts 41 and 54 and riding on the sprockets 53and 56, is a continuous mat type of screen conveyor 51 formed by'aplurality of malleable iron block links formed by integral side bars andend barrels, as best seen in Fig. 8, and attached to articulate abouttransversely extending rods 58, thus providing a trouble free and longlife mat screen.

Positioned above the main frame 52 is a hopper 59 at the materialreceiving end of which is formed a stationary chute 60 within which isassociated a pivoted chute 6| pivoted aboutl bolts 62 and having arms 63to swing said chute about the axes of bolts 62. The pivoted chute 6| isprovided to permit therpivotal adjustment of the hinged boom 33, asillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the arms' 63 cooperatingwith appropriate pins 64 carried by the hinged boom 33 to lift the chute6| out of the path of travel of said hinged boom 33 when the latter iselevated, Due to the action of gravity the pivoted chute 6i will moveinto material receiving posinon automatici-luy .Adjacent the'fnrwardena-0f the hopperlss isvprovided a veryshort and gradually inclined feedchute 65 for discharging materialffrom the res'creeriing conveyor-29'onto the apron 45 of the which directs slack which passes through theopenings afforded by the mat screen conveyor 51 into the lower run 40 ofthe mixing conveyor 26.

Associatedfwiththeupper run of the'screen Q 'over these severalpickingtables, operators or conveyor 51 Iprovide a valve means which may beoperated to shutoff entirely or to regulate the amount of screeningeffected thereby',- vSaid valve' means'comprises a stationary top lplate61 extendi ing transversely vcompletely between the side members of themain frame 52 and thus entirely Y' is positioned-'abovea Vplurality oflongitudinally only approximately half, the lengththereof, and j j dent'that a large 'multiplicity of combinations of extending bars 68 theoutermost ones offwhich ,extend substantially the full le gth 'of therescreening conveyor--29While` the others extend form agrizzly adjacentthe front end thereof which loperates to 'support the mat screenconveyor 51, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of theV drawings. Saidbars 68 are supported on trans- .V` versely extending angle members |68forming part of the main frame 52.

Positioned below the plate 61 and above the bars 6B is a longitudinallyslidable plate 69 prothus toprovide an entirely closed bottom for thehopper 59 or to provide an opening of adjustable size for said hopper59. This construction is particularly useful where an unsized coal is tobe i'ed -to a car. in which case no attemptis made to remove the slack.This is 'another feature which extends even farther the exibility of thesystem comprising my invention. l

Referring particularlytoFig of the drawings.

'- Iit will be seen that a supporting plate 14 is pro- V '.videdadjacent the front end of the re-'screeningV conveyor 29 to support thelowerrun ofthe mat screen Y51 during the rst portion of its return Y.travel where any, slack whichhas fallen through I drive for the apron 45Vand the mat screen 51V the upper run thereof will be scraped into thehopper 66. Substantially midway between the sides of the hopper 66Iprovideza transversely.-

vextending pipe 15 to support the mat screen 51 above which I position awiper 16 to insure the* removal of any material' which may tend toadhere to the top surface ofA the lower run of said ,Y

mat screenr 51. f

It may additionally be mentioned rthat'lthe includes the motor 49, seenin Fig. 2, which drives "a pulley 1 1 through a plurality of V-belts 18,said pulley 11 being mounted ona countershaft 19 which carries a spurgear 80 meshingwith a large gear 8| mounted upon a drive shaft 82 uponwhich is mounted the tail pulley 43 of the loading:

boom 28. Appropriate chain and sprocket means 33 is provided for drivingthe/drive shaft 41 of the re-screening conveyor 2 9 from the shaft 82.

upon the lowering of the In the operationof the apparatus comprising Ythe shakingorsizing screen and feeder I3 by which it is separated into'four different size ranges comprising slack, nut, egg and lump coal.

Slackcoal is conveyed directly by slack con- Vvveyor I4 and slackchute4|5 toa slack car, The

nutcoal, egg coal v and lump coal are delivered VVrespectively to the nut picking rtable I6. the egg pickers will manually remove visiblerefuse, such as shale or slate, and'throwV it into one ofthe chutes I9,20 for 2|, by which it will be delivered to a refuse chute V22, andconveyed to a'refuse bin 23.

From the pickingtables I6, I1 and `I8, or.any of vthem selectively, vthecoal 'may loeV discharged either to the upper run 39 of kthemixingconveyor 2 6 or to its respective loading boom, such as the devices 25,29 and 3|, respectively.

By virtue of the mixing conveyor 26 it loading booms 24,. 28 and 30,over thescreening is evisize ranges may be combined on a single loadingboom. As a typicalillustration, the egg'picking table I1 may dischargeto the-upper run 39 of `|8 may be d ischarged directly onto there-screening conveyor 3|. It is thusv evident that there vwill Abe amixture of bothoegg and lump coal on there-screening conveyor-3| whichwill be loaded by it onto thelump loading boom 30. In this instance, acombination of egg and lump coal will be fed to the car positioned belowthe loading boom 30.

At the same time, any slack delivered either from the mixing conveyor 26or from the picking table I8 tothe re-screening conveyor 3|,

will be screened out and discharged into the lower "run 40 of the mixingconveyor 26, by which it ,will

be'conveyed to the slack chute. I5.'v

y If desired. the gate mechanism, including theY slidable plate 69,associated with the re-screening device 3|, will be closed, in whichcase any slack contained in the coal received by the rescreening devilce3| will not be removed,y but will be dischargedonto the loading boom30.'

As another illustrative operation, 'lit may be found that there is toomuch lump coal coming over and not enough nut coal. Toremedy thissituation, the lump coal may be fed into the `upper `run 39 of themixing conveyor 26 and delivered to the crusher 21 Which will reduce Iit to a maximum size and discharge-it `to the lower run 40 ofsaid mixingconveyor 26.

Said lower run 48m'ay thereafter be controlled to conveyor which willdeliverV thef'cru'shed coal tothe sizing screen I3, the same as if itwere V my invention withthe consequent realization of themethodcomprising my invention, raw coal stored inthe hopper II is fed bythe feeder I2v to the mixing conveyor 26 and by said upper run 39Vdischarge into the re-circulating crushed coal By virtue of thisconstruction there is practically no production of'slack after the coalis discharged from the re-screenng conveyor 29 or 3l, and thus whendesired, the coal, such as egg or lump, is delivered to the carsubstantially free of slack, In general, it is not necessary to employthis precaution in connection with the nut coal because this coal is notof suicient size to cause appreciable formation of slack even thoughdischarged over an inclined chute type of screen. If desired, however,the rescreening device may also be employed in connection with the nutpicking table and loadingr boom.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in thedetails and arrangement of parts'without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and Itherefore Wishu not to be restricted to the preciseA construction hereindisclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what Idesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

manana 1. 1n combination. a. horizontally disposed continuous travel matscreen, a conveyor positioned thereabove, an adjustable pivoted boomconveyor having an adjustable free vdischarge and positioned to feedsaid screen or said conveyor, and a feed chute pivoted to said screenVand swingable by said pivoted boom into and out ofV feeding position assaid boom is adjusted to feeding or non-feeding position with respect 1.to said screen.

2. In combination, a pair of conveyors spaced vertically apart, thelower one being an endless mat screen conveyor, a pivoted boom having afreely adjustable discharge end adjustable to feed either conveyor, apivoted chute for guiding material vfrom said boom to said lowerconveyor and positioned in the path of said boom during upward movementthereof, and` means operable by said boom to pivot said chute and swingit out of the path of movement of said boom as the latter moves upwardlyand to swing said chute into operative position as the boom movesdownwardly.

f MAX'A. MATTHEWS.

